Ramaphosa to co-chair ILO’s Commission on the Future of Work

10 May 2018

PBM

South Africa’s new president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is stepping up to co-chair an International Labour Organization (ILO) top-level Commission on the Future of Work . This may come to further beef up Ramaphosa’s international stature as he prepares to take up the chairpersonship of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

South Africa also seats in the G20, has served as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council and has earned a special place within the International Monetary Fund. The ILO position for Ramaphosa propels a trend.

ILO announced that Ramaphosa will co-chair the 28 member Commission on the Future of Work, together with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven. The global body is assessing the rapid transformations taking place in the world of work, and identifying the key challenges and what must be done to make the future of work better and fairer.

Ramaphosa has taken up the post with enthusiasm saying “The Global Commission is grappling with one of the most important and pressing challenges of the modern global economy. If we are to improve the lives of people across the world, we need to prepare collectively for a new world of work.”

ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said “I am delighted that President Ramaphosa has accepted to co-chair the Global Commission on the Future of Work . South Africa and the ILO have a very close relationship, and I am sure that the South African President will bring to the Commission’s work the values of freedom and dialogue that he has defended his whole life. They are key to the future of work we want and a global economy that works for all,”

As co-chair of the Global Commission on the Future of Work, he will work with Löfven to oversee the preparation of a major report on the future of work which will be published in early 2019. The next meeting of the Commission is scheduled to take place on 15-17 May 2018 in Geneva.

Ramaphosa replaces Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, former President of the Republic of Mauritius, who resigned from her chairmanship earlier this year.